Shirley Williams Has Died

[drmorgans]

The former Labour Cabinet minister and founder of the Social Democratic Party has died aged 90. She sat as a Lib-Dem peer in the Lords.

[Bobbisox1]

Sad indeed, I really liked her ,she was one of the Gang of 4

[Apc2604]

A great lady. RIP

[Mamyalynne]

RIP Shirley.

[Lie-in King]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56720985

RIP Shirley.

[tiggerblue10]

RIP Shirley

[Buenchico]

An interview still worth watching after more than 40 years:

[ToraToraTora]

I have time for anyone who has the courage of their convictions but it would be dishonest of me to join the thrall here. Sadly Ms Williams had no idea politically and demonstrated it time and again. Helped reduce the Lib non Dems to 8 seats in 1983, TGL used her and her kind as a tatami mat. Her last speech in the luds summed up her entire political life, out of touch with the population. Once tipped as a potential PM apparently, not sure how Labour haven't won since 1974 and the Libs a century before that. RIP love you were at least honest.

[davebro]

I won't speak ill off the dead - so saying nowt.

[ichkeria]

“ Helped reduce the Lib non Dems to 8 seats in 1983”

The Lib Dems didn’t exist in 1983 (!)

[ToraToraTora]

correct ich, the "liberal vote" then does that help?

[ichkeria]

Not much: you are saying the “liberal vote” was reduced to 8 seats?

A quick wiki confirms that the newly formed Alliance gained 23 seats, up from 11 centre party seats the previous time. The Liberals and the SDP did not formally merge until
1988

[Sunk]

Directly responsible for 18 years of Conservative rule by splitting the vote.
A wasted political life unfortunately. She contributed putting the Conservatives in Government for nearly two decades.

[ToraToraTora]

ok so the news was wrong, apologies but 23? ain't rockin it is it?

[ichkeria]

Blaming Shirley Williams for the Thatcher -and Major governments is pretty ridiculous Sunk, even if you lump the other gang members with her.
Unfortunately our voting system is unkind to small parties and very unkind indeed ultimately to political mavericks.

[ToraToraTora]

sunk: "Directly responsible for 18 years of Conservative rule by splitting the vote. " - well I often wondered where the cloud cuckoos went from cloud cuckoo land! they go to cloud sunk land! PMSL. Come on even Kinnochio got 10 times more seats and TGL beat the pony out if him! Even when they had 55 seats they were never going to stop the Tories! Only labour have a chance of that and they haven't got in the ball park since 1974!

[davebro]

what happened to Chukka & his gang?

[douglas9401]

We'd like to thank the Minister For Mockney and Outright Lies for his time this evening.

[ToraToraTora]

you mean the Tiggers dave:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Change_UK
the anti British club! PMSL, chukka can't, Spanna Booby! my sides are splitting!

[Sunk]

ichkeria

The SDP won by-election seats off Labour, the system wasn’t unkind to them initially. It really hampered Labour’s recoverery.
That nightmare so haunted Cameron, that he caved in to UKIP, to avoid history repeating. But as a consequence it took the party more rightward and left them with no real mandate.

[ToraToraTora]

sunk get real me old china, the Liberals last had a chance in the 19th century.